Week 1: Oakland at home - better to start with a tough team at home than on the road

Week 2: at Seattle - how well will the newly-acquired players be integrated into the system. Good time to play them on their turf

Week 3: NY Giants at home - I'm not convinced that this is a top-tier team (Super Bowl or no Super Bowl) and we hear enough thunder and lightning in the midwest not to be frightened by this. Good game to have at home, and not in the Meadowlands.

Week 4: at Washington - Can the "Rams West" beat the "Browns East" (note the sarcasm...). All kidding aside, this could will be a tough one because they have a sturdy defense.

Week 5: at Denver - Welcome to the new Pile High... This is the day after my wedding, so we'd better win.

Week 6: Pittsburgh at home - How good are the Steelers?

Week 7: at Arizona - this should be the equivalent of an early bye week for us, but I doubt Vermeil will let the team go in with anything but murder in mind. Good road game for us.

Week 8: Indianapolis - better to have them here than in the RCA dome (what kinda name is that?!?). Will be a tough one.

Week 9: at San Diego - how much improved will the Chargers be? I really wish we could have played them earlier in the season...

Week 10: at NY Jets - tough game in the Meadowlands.

Week 11: bye

Week 12: Seattle at home - could be a much improved team from week 2, but we have them at home.

Week 13: Philadelphia at home - Eagles are a tough young team, but, once again, we have the benefit of a home game, and this one is on a Thursday on ESPN in prime time.

Week 14: at Oakland. December division game in the Black Hole. They are called the 'Faiders' for a reason though. Could be a tough one...

Week 15: Denver at home. Another December divisional game, could have major playoff implications.

Week 16: San Diego at home. Just like the week before...

Week 17: at Jacksonville. Ouch. I'm not sure how good Jacksonville is, but we just don't have a good time in Florida...

So, there it is. Our schedule is tough, no doubt about that, but I think the schedule-makers did us a few favors:
No more than 2 road games in a row all year and only 1 jump from coast-to-coast
Bye week at a very good time.
Season ends in the division, for the most part, so it will be interesting with playoff implications (for someone...).

I'm still not expecting playoffs, but this schedule looks a lot better to me now that I've actually taken the time to analyze it...

Gaz

05-12-2001, 07:45 AM

I am truly not concerned about the win/loss record this season. Don't get me wrong, I prefer the day after a win to the day after a loss, but that is not my priority this year.

This is a rebuilding year. IMO, it started when the Stooges were fired. I was prepared for a couple of years of awfulness [is that a word?] while we rid ourselves the last vestiges of Stooge spoor. Brand new schemes in every facet of the game means a learning curve. It will be a while before they gel. We will lose some games in October that we would not lose in December. I am excited to see a new philosophy on the field, but I will not be terribly surprised if we do not have a winning season. I also will not be disappointed as long as I see that steady improvement.

All I want for Christmas is steady improvement.

I want to see an attacking team on both Offense and Defense. I want to see an end to RBbC. I want to see a coaching staff that takes what they see this week and apply it the next. I want to see a coherent philosophy in Offense. I want to see nothing resembling a soft zone on Defense.

And of course I want to see some crushed QBs.

xoxo~
Gaz
Willing to be pleasantly surprised.

ck_IN

05-12-2001, 11:19 AM

I'm sticking to my 6-10 prediction.

I see Oakland and Denver sweeping us. A split with Seattle and losses to Indy, Phily, DC, Jax, and Giants. If we're not carefull SD could sneak in for a win and make us 5-11.

Fasten your seatbelts gang. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

BigMeatballDave

05-12-2001, 11:33 AM

What?! The 3 stooges are gone and you predict 1 less victory - put the crack pipe down and step away.

Thats good for 2 wins, I say.

Frazod

05-12-2001, 12:41 PM

Frazod's predictions (assuming Green's knee cooperates).

Week 1: Oakland - PAYBACK TIME. We can't keep losing to these f#ckers forever.
Week 2: Seattle - I say we eek out a win here - good to catch them early in the season before they've had a chance to gel.
Week 3: Giants - We lose a close one - Giants are tough, and we aren't quite ready for prime time yet.
Week 4: Washington - WIN. Marty will really want this one, and if history has shown us anything, it is that Marty never wins those.
Week 5: At Denver - Chiefs winning drive is sustained by 3 encroachment penalties on Chester. Mastery continues.
Week 6: Pittsburgh - Chiefs win big.
Week 7: Arizona - Chiefs nearly get ambused while looking ahead to Indy, but pull it out in the end.
Week 8: Indy - again, we can't keep losing to these clowns forever. Indy has slipped, and we've improved. Chiefs win a shootout.
Week 9: At San Diego - Another loss. This team will be much better, and at home they've got our number.
Week 10: At NY Jets: Another loss (we've got to have a losing streak at some point). Thank God for the bye.
Week 12: Seattle - they're motivated, but the skid ends in a close victory at home.
Week 13: Philly - major setback as we get embarassed in front of a national audience. Crap.
Week 14: Oakland, and Week 15: Denver - we'll win one, we'll lose one. Don't know which.
Week 16: San Diego at home. They're better, but not that much better. Bolts get stomped in Arrowhead as usual.
Week 17: Good game for late in the season. Brunell will have been beaten into the ground because of the Jags hideous offensive line, and will secretly wish (as do we all) that he'd come to Kansas City. Jags are done. Florida curse ends with a victory.

Looks like 11-5 to me, perhaps the division. IF GREEN HOLDS UP. If not, we're playing for draft picks (which hopefully won't all be traded away).

We'll play Baltimore in the playoffs, and we'll beat them, because Grbac will find a way to single-handedly lose the game. He'll cry like a baby after the game, and we'll all laugh.

But we'll lose the next week, probably to the Titans. No Super Bowl this year.

Frazod

Thinking he's full of sh!t, so you don't have to say it....

BigMeatballDave

05-12-2001, 12:59 PM

Frazod- Full of $h!t? Maybe?

But, at least you`re optimistic.

Frazod

05-12-2001, 01:03 PM

Yeah, what the hell, it's the right time of year. Hopefully my optimism can survive mid-season.

Hope - the ultimate four letter word for Chief fans....

Chiefs Pantalones

05-12-2001, 09:00 PM

I think this year will be better than some of you negative people think. I don't think it will take long for the offense to gel, Gaz. Your forgetting that we have a LEADER now at QB, a guy that will help his teammates out and help understand the offense. And this is not the stooges, this is actually a coaching staff, now.

CG

always has high expectations and is not afraid of being disappointed

Chiefs Pantalones

05-12-2001, 09:31 PM

Also, I find it hard to believe the team is rebuilding, when DV says they are not. Its true, he said "we are not rebuilding, only fine tuning." He said that a couple weeks ago on the Channel 9 Sports.

CG

thinks unless you see "rebuilding" in that quote somewhere, we are not rebuilding...we aren't

ck_IN

05-13-2001, 10:44 AM

I'm sorry if I come accross as a wet blanket Cody, but I don't share your optimism.

First, I'm not sold on Trent Green as being anything special. He didn't impress me at Indiana U, or DC. During the times he played in St. Lou he always seemed a step behind Warner. That could be from lack of reps. At the moment I'll save my saviour hailings and adopt a wait and see tude.

Secondly, our defense, already a weakness, has taken a step backward. Crockett is a <b>huge</b> step down from Hasty. We've done nothing to address our run stopping ability. This from a team that couldn't stop the run before and plays six games against Oakland, Denver, and Seattle. Robinson may be a step up from Kurt/Shaw or he may be more of the same. His D's in Denver did not impress.

Third, we do have a brutal schedule. And there will be a burn in time as the players adjust to a new coach and scheme.

I hope I'm wrong, but I still maintain my 6-10 projection. And that's with Green healthy. If Green goes down, all bets are off.

47mack

05-13-2001, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by ck_IN
I'm sticking to my 6-10 prediction.

I see Oakland and Denver sweeping us.

I don't see either DEN or OAK sweeping. I think they will split 50-50 with both teams.

dnvrCHIEFSfn

05-13-2001, 11:47 AM

If our O takes time to gel it will be the receivers portion. Green/Saunders/Vermiel have been in this for 3 years. Alexander and Gonzalez are too good to not be ready when the season begins. Other receivers: Cat and Horne will probably take 6 weeks to get it. Add the draft pick from Florida State to that mix/although his speed might get him deep enough to make some catches. If you trust Vermeil you have to think we have a shot at a wild card this year if not more. Something nobody has mentioned on this subject is that we end the season with 4 of our last 6 games at ARROWHEAD beginning Nov. 25th. If we haven't got it together by then it will be a 6-10 season. I feel definitely upbeat. A total unknown is the Priest Holmes factor. Nobody is expecting him to put up Marshall Falke numbers. But if he and TRich can grab 1200 and 1000 yards who cares if we have 1 guy doing it. Raiders did that last year and they were in the to 5 in rushing weren't they? As long as they get 95% of the carries I say we could be back in the top 10 running games. I have no guess as to our won loss record yet. What do you think of Priest? He's suppossed to be a great guy for team chemistry. Can he be a player?